SALISBURY, N.C. – Pfeiffer University trailed by 17 points with 11:19 to play in the second half before racing out on a 35-16 run to comeback for a 79-77 win over Livingstone College in day two of the Highway 52 Shootout at Catawba’s Goodman Gym. Chris Woods (Thomasville, NC) posted another double-double with a game-high 36 points and 10 boards as the Falcons improve to 2-0 on the young season. The Blue Bears drop their season opener.

A layup by Livingstone’s Tyler Johnson put the visitors up 17 until a three-ball by the Falcons Jeff Pettiway (Edgewood, MD) started the rally. Woods dropped in a layup at the halfway mark slicing the deficit to single digits before the Blue Bears used baskets by Omar Ford-Bey and Greg Henry to maintain an 11 point lead.

After Henry’s lay in, Pfeiffer exploded for a 12-0 run to take their first lead of the night with 6:04 to play after a free throw by Davon Gilliard (Charleston, SC). Both teams went back and forth to the buzzer with five lead changes over the final six minutes. Gilliard and Woods each squared the contest with jumpers taking the clock under five minutes of play, until a layup by Woods at 1:02 put the Falcons up for good. Jackson got the Blue Bears within one at 78-77 with nine tickets left, but a Gilliard free throw iced the win as a late three-point, buzzer beating attempt by Livingstone fell to the floor.

Each team placed three in double-figure scoring as Pettiway and Gilliard followed Woods with 18 and 15 for the Falcons. Livingstone had a 22-point output by Darius Cox followed by 13 from Aaron Wilson and a dozen from Ford-Bey. Pfeiffer did commit 14 turnovers on the night to Livingstone’s 11, but did not turn the ball over a single time over the final 12:29.

Pfeiffer will now hit the road for their first true road game on Monday night traveling to Virginia State for a 7:00 p.m. matchup.